Food allergies, cross-reactions and agroalimentary biotechnologies.

The discrepancy between what the general public and specialist in allergic diseases regard as a true food allergy can in part depend on the frequent evidence of subjects in whom clinical symptoms elicited by a given food allergen are frequently not reproducible: this suggests the existence of allergens variably present in certain foods. In adults and older children common is a form of food allergy associated with inhaled allergens, especially pollens. In this allergic form pollens and various vegetal food often cross react but the underlying scientific rationale is largely unclear.

Allergen skin weal/radioallergosorbent test relationship in childhood populations that differ in histamine skin reactivity: a multi-national survey.

Background: Histamine skin reactivity (HSR, the dimension of the skin weal elicited by histamine 10 mg/mL) is a variable that differs in children from different European countries and increases over time in the same place (Italy).

Objective: In this epidemiologic study, we investigated to what extent differences in HSR influence the relationship between positive allergen skin prick tests (ASPTs) and serum-specific IgE concentrations.

Methods: Between October 2001 and February 2002, 591 unselected 9-10-year-old schoolchildren drawn from five small towns in central Poland (Starachowice), central Italy (Ronciglione, Guardea) and Libya (Al-Azyzia, near the Mediterranean sea and Samno, 900 km south of the coast) were analysed for histamine, common ASPT and for serum total and specific IgE.

Skin reactivity to histamine and codeine in unselected 9-year-old children from Italy, Poland and Libya.

Background: Previous studies have shown that histamine skin reactivity (the dimensions of a skin wheal elicited by a prick with histamine 10 mg/ml) in unselected school children has increased in Italy during the past two decades and is higher in Italy than in Poland. Hence this variable can probably be influenced by a changing or different lifestyle. The aim of this study was to compare skin reactivity to histamine and codeine (a marker of histamine releasability from mast cells) in schoolchildren from countries with different lifestyles.

Skin reactivity to histamine and to allergens in unselected 9-year-old children living in Poland and Italy.

Several studies have shown a higher prevalence of positive skin-prick tests to airborne allergens in Western than in Eastern European countries. We have recently reported that skin histamine reactivity significantly increased in Italy over the past 15 years. Population differences in skin histamine reactivity could, at least in part, explain the reported differences in positive allergen skin tests.

Input respiratory impedance measured by head generator in preschool children.

The upper airway wall motion represents a serious problem when measuring the input impedance of the respiratory system (Zrs) by the forced oscillation technique, particularly in young children. To minimize this error, it has been proposed to vary transrespiratory pressure around the head rather than directly at the mouth, using the head generator technique (HGT). The aim of this study was to collect normative data in preschool children in whom the technique may prove most useful.

[Predictive values of peak expiratory flow measured with mechanical meters for Polish children and adolescents between 7-19 years of age].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predicted values of pack expiratory flow for the Polish children and youth by means of measures Mini Wright and Personal Best. The accounts were based on a group of 86 boys and 110 girls. It was established that it was necessary to state different predicted values for different measures and that an optimum model of regression for counting of predicted values of PEFR in relation to body height for the Polish children and youth was an exponential model.

Daily variations in air pollution and respiratory health in a multicentre study: the PEACE project. Pollution Effects on Asthmatic Children in Europe.

The Pollution Effects on Asthmatic Children in Europe (PEACE) study is a multicentre study of the acute effects of particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 microm (PM10), black smoke (BS), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on the respiratory health of children with chronic respiratory symptoms. The study was conducted in the winter of 1993/1994 by 14 research centres in Europe. A total of 2,010 children, divided over 28 panels in urban and suburban locations, was followed for at least 2 months.

[Evaluation of the bronchodilatory activity of berodual and its components: fenoterol and ipratropium bromide in children with bronchial asthma].

The bronchodilatory activity of Berodual in comparison to Fenoterol and Ipratropium Bromide was investigated in a group of 59 children aged 8-15 years, suffering from mild bronchial asthma in a symptoms-free period. The relaxing activity was monitored dynamically by means of the analysis of flow-volume curve measurements. We have found that the bronchodilatory activity of Berodual was faster, stronger and longer in comparison to Fenoterol and Ipratropium Bromide.

[Values of the flow-volume curve in healthy children from Cracow].

Basing on results of spirometric tests performed in 180 healthy children from Cracow (age range 8-16 years) the following parameters of the flow-volume curve were calculated: FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEF, FEF25-75%, FEF50%, FEF75%. Due to statistically significant differences in the above mentioned indices related to sx, normograms were calculated for boys and girls. It was found that the exponential function characterises the best relation between volume and height, and the multinomial function flow values and height.

Analysis of expiratory pattern for monitoring bronchial obstruction in school-age children.

This study was designed to assess the validity of the percent of volume expired at tidal peak flow (dV/Vt) as an indicator of bronchial obstruction in school-age children. We analyzed 126 dV/Vt ratios and compared them with spirometric and plethysmographic results measured in 24 healthy (14 males) and 60 asthmatic (41 males) children; 42 of them underwent measurements before and after bronchial challenge with histamine. The two groups differed in resistance, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1), and forced expiratory flows, as percents of predicted (FEV1: 94.

[Computer-assisted calibration of inductive plethysmography].

A software program was written assisting calibration and measurement of the inductive plethysmography RESPITRACE. In 6 subjects calibration was carried out using both methods and a confirmation was found in the 20% area of dispersion. The use of only one measuring tape enables a very precise measurement of ventilation.

[Standards in evaluating the test of obstruction reversibility based on the flow-volume curves].

The study analyzed the changes in the shape of the flow-volume curve after fenoterol (Berotec) inhalation in school age healthy children. Significant increase of FEF25-75%, FEF50%, FEF25% values were seen. The authors demonstrated that bronchodilatation was not related to sex, height, weight and children's age, but it's value is indirectly proportional to the at-rest state of the airways.

Intrinsic PEEP and arterial PCO2 in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Dynamic pulmonary hyperinflation and intrinsic PEEP (PEEPi) are known to play an important role in causing acute respiratory failure in COPD patients. In the present study, we have explored (1) the prevalence and magnitude of PEEPi in stable COPD patients, and (2) the correlation of PEEPi with respiratory mechanics and PaCO2. In 96 stable COPD patients with varying degrees of airway obstruction, we measured pulmonary flow resistance (RL), dynamic lung compliance (CLdyn), breathing pattern, arterial blood gases, and dynamic PEEPi.

[Results of immunotherapy with HDM (Bencard) in children with bronchial asthma].

Desensitization with HDM manufactured by Bencard was carried out in a group of 20 children with bronchial asthma showing hypersensitivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssimus allergen in prick skin tests. Ten randomly selected children treated symptomatically and with climate served as a control group. Children were examined clinically before and after desensitization.

A correction formula for computing specific airway resistance from a single-step measurement.

Specific airway resistance (SRaw) is conventionally determined by multiplying the plethysmographically measured values of airway resistance and functional residual capacity (FRC). An alternative single-step method, which avoids the need for airway occlusion during determination of FRC, has been described by Dab and Alexander. The single-step method provides no correction for resistance or dead space of the apparatus and, as a result, systematically overestimates SRaw.

[Failure of static pulmonary volume measurements in mucoviscidosis].

With worsening of bronchial obstruction during the course of cystic fibrosis the functional residual capacity (CRF) measured by plethysmography increases progressively. The difference between values of CRF obtained by plethysmography or by Helium dilution increases even more. The difference between the two methods (for CRF) is supposed to show the volume of "trapped"' gas.

Decrease of complement hemolytic activity after an allergen-house dust-bronchial provocation test.

Twenty-two children with bronchial asthma and positive skin tests to house-dust allergen were subjected to a bronchial provocation test with the allergen, and both bronchial reactions and serum complement hemolytic activity were measured at different intervals after the challenge. Changes in complement hemolytic activity did not correspond either with early or late bronchial reaction to the allergen. A reproducible drop in complement hemolytic activity after allergen challenge was observed in eight patients and could be prevented in four out of seven patients by sodium cromoglycate.

[Efficacy of gas exchange in the lung of children (author's transl)].

Determination of the CO transfer through lungs is the most direct method of determination of lung function. In children more convenient for practical use is the "steady state" than the "single breath" method. Besides classical coefficient of transfer (TLCO) interpretation of results may be widened by coefficients of the CO fractional uptake - global (FUCO) and partials, informing about exchange of gases in airways (FUCO) and in alveolies (FUaCO) the predicted values of the above coefficients should be calculated, accordingly to the opinion of authors, in relation with tidal volume (TV) or with total lung capacity (TLC), but FUCO and FUaCO with frequency of breathing (f).

Lung function of children with history of obstructive bronchitis in their infancy.

A group of 98 children admitted to the hospital in the first 2 years of life with diagnosis of obstructive bronchitis was reexamined at 10 years of age. The examination included complexed lung function measurements. No important functional abnormalities were found in relation to passed obstructive bronchitis, features of allergy, frequency of attacks of the disease in the past, and bronchial reactivity to histamine.

Proteins in bronchial secretion of children with chronic pulmonary diseases. I. Relation to clinical diagnosis.

Bronchial secretions from 207 children suffering from various pulmonary diseases and from 15 healthy controls were tested concentration of IgA, IgG, lactoferrin and lysozyme. The results obtained suggest that in many cases of chronic lung diseases in children the levels of lactoferrin and immunoglobulins, especially secretory IgA, are very low. In severe infections (cystic fibrosis, bronchiectases) significant increase of IgG concentration was observed.

Importance of respiratory allergy in provoking reversible bronchial obstruction.

In five groups of children: representative sample of normal population, children suffering from bronchitis in the past and children with diagnosed asthmatics, results of unspecific bronchial reactivity to histamine were evaluated and in some of the groups results of skin and inhalatory reactions to allergen solutions were compared. Important discrepancy between skin and inhalatory reactions was shown. Potentialization of unspecific bronchial hyperreactivity after history of bronchitis was noticed.